For Christ’s Sake…
Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
We have a saying: “Oh, for God’s sake!” As a child, I heard that phrase and others like it so many times that it’s HARD to think what it ACTUALLY means…
Does Jesus really need our help? In English, we normally use “sake” to say; for the benefit of someone (for her sake). The Greek word in the manuscripts means “on account of, for a cause”. Now we can understand CLEARLY what the scripture is saying!
What was Jesus’ cause? The PURPOSE of His ministry? What needs to be sacrificed (forsaken) to accomplish His ministry?
If you think that His death on the cross for us was the PURPOSE of His ministry, we can’t do ANYTHING for His sake. It’s already been done!! Of course, Jesus says that there is something yet to be done. He warns us that even though the Father will BLESS us (speak well of us), men will mock us, attack us and lie about us for His sake.
Let’s look again at Jesus’ ministry:
Luke 4:16-21 And he (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias (Isaiah 61:1-4). And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
We know that Jesus has given His disciples responsibility to CARRY ON His ministry:
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
When Jesus prayed to our Father and gave us the “inheritance” blessing, He made His sake very clear to us:
John 17:18-20 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Praise God!!
We are actually ANOINTED to win souls to Christ!!
However, anointing and action are to two different things…
Many of us Christians live our lives without experiencing God’s POWER.
Many of us Christians live our lives without WINNING SOULS.
Many of us Christians wonder why the scriptures don’t WORK.
Have you made God’s sake YOUR SAKE?
Consider what that would mean…
You would be making Jesus’ calling on your life YOUR CALLING:
(Luke 4:18-19)
-preach the Gospel to the poor.
-heal the brokenhearted.
-preach deliverance.
-restore sight to the blind.
-give liberty (freedom) to those that suffer.
-preach the acceptable year of the Lord
Could you make these things YOUR MINISTRY?
Could your life STAND UP to this?
Sure, you have a secular job, a house, a car, a computer: Can you use them to further your TRUE purpose? Could you do this for CHRIST’S SAKE?
Now, I don’t want to mislead you or suggest to you that living this way will be comfortable or pleasant. Jesus tells us that many will not appreciate us...
Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
The word “martyr” means “witness” in the Greek. You don’t have to be killed to be a martyr (in the Bible), just be His witness. There were times in history when they have become almost synonymous. Here are some interesting thoughts about being a martyr:
-A Christian is killed (or martyred) for telling about WHO JESUS IS! They are not killed because their actions or beliefs are offensive to anyone.
-Terrorists killed for murdering innocents are NOT martyrs, they are killed for their great wickedness.
-It is what Jesus IS that makes people angry:
-He is the ONLY sinless man.
-He died on that cross for US and OUR sin!
-He rose from the DEAD first; we will be NEXT!
-Only trusting in Jesus (our Christ) can SAVE us!
Mark 10:28-31 28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
What a Savior!
What a calling!
What will YOU do, for GOD’S SAKE?
>>>> Let’s Pray…<<<<
Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
We have a saying: “Oh, for God’s sake!” As a child, I heard that phrase and others like it so many times that it’s HARD to think what it ACTUALLY means…
Does Jesus really need our help? In English, we normally use “sake” to say; for the benefit of someone (for her sake). The Greek word in the manuscripts means “on account of, for a cause”. Now we can understand CLEARLY what the scripture is saying!
What was Jesus’ cause? The PURPOSE of His ministry? What needs to be sacrificed (forsaken) to accomplish His ministry?
If you think that His death on the cross for us was the PURPOSE of His ministry, we can’t do ANYTHING for His sake. It’s already been done!! Of course, Jesus says that there is something yet to be done. He warns us that even though the Father will BLESS us (speak well of us), men will mock us, attack us and lie about us for His sake.
Let’s look again at Jesus’ ministry:
Luke 4:16-21 And he (Jesus) came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias (Isaiah 61:1-4). And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
We know that Jesus has given His disciples responsibility to CARRY ON His ministry:
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
When Jesus prayed to our Father and gave us the “inheritance” blessing, He made His sake very clear to us:
John 17:18-20 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Praise God!!
We are actually ANOINTED to win souls to Christ!!
However, anointing and action are to two different things…
Many of us Christians live our lives without experiencing God’s POWER.
Many of us Christians live our lives without WINNING SOULS.
Many of us Christians wonder why the scriptures don’t WORK.
Have you made God’s sake YOUR SAKE?
Consider what that would mean…
You would be making Jesus’ calling on your life YOUR CALLING:
(Luke 4:18-19)
-preach the Gospel to the poor.
-heal the brokenhearted.
-preach deliverance.
-restore sight to the blind.
-give liberty (freedom) to those that suffer.
-preach the acceptable year of the Lord
Could you make these things YOUR MINISTRY?
Could your life STAND UP to this?
Sure, you have a secular job, a house, a car, a computer: Can you use them to further your TRUE purpose? Could you do this for CHRIST’S SAKE?
Now, I don’t want to mislead you or suggest to you that living this way will be comfortable or pleasant. Jesus tells us that many will not appreciate us...
Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
The word “martyr” means “witness” in the Greek. You don’t have to be killed to be a martyr (in the Bible), just be His witness. There were times in history when they have become almost synonymous. Here are some interesting thoughts about being a martyr:
-A Christian is killed (or martyred) for telling about WHO JESUS IS! They are not killed because their actions or beliefs are offensive to anyone.
-Terrorists killed for murdering innocents are NOT martyrs, they are killed for their great wickedness.
-It is what Jesus IS that makes people angry:
-He is the ONLY sinless man.
-He died on that cross for US and OUR sin!
-He rose from the DEAD first; we will be NEXT!
-Only trusting in Jesus (our Christ) can SAVE us!
Mark 10:28-31 28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.
What a Savior!
What a calling!
What will YOU do, for GOD’S SAKE?
>>>> Let’s Pray…<<<<
